Airbnb News and Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb continues to be a major force in the travel industry, redefining how people book and experience accommodations worldwide. At PhocusWire, we bring you the latest Airbnb news, along with broader coverage of the short-term rental sector, including platform innovation, market trends, and regulatory developments that shape this fast-moving space.

Updates on Airbnb, short-term rental trends, and regulatory shifts

Track how Airbnb is evolving its product offerings, enhancing guest and host tools, and adapting to consumer demand for more flexible, immersive travel. Our stories examine the intersection of tech innovation, policy, and platform strategy—providing insight into how short-term rentals continue to influence the broader hospitality landscape.

Airbnb China reveals numbers, taps senior citizens as hosts
News / Distribution
Airbnb China reveals numbers, taps senior citizens as hosts
By Martin Cowen | November 2, 2016
More than 3.5 million Chinese travellers have used Airbnb outside China, with the number increasing by 500% during 2015. It also said that its Chinese hosts have welcomed nearly one million guest a Read More
Expedia eyes alternative accommodation bounty, plots HomeAway integration
News / Distribution
Expedia eyes alternative accommodation bounty, plots HomeAway integration
By Kevin May | October 28, 2016
Expedia will begin including vacation rental listings from stablemate HomeAway in the next few months as the battle for alternative accommodation heats up. The online travel agency will finally hav Read More
Airbnb's business travel glass: Half empty or half full?
News / Distribution
Airbnb's business travel glass: Half empty or half full?
By Martin Cowen | October 27, 2016
A global study of more than 250 corporate travel managers and buyers has found that nearly six out of ten have no plans to include sharing economy lodging options in their travel policy. And while Read More
Airbnb transparency drive as hosts worldwide asked to clarify roles
News / Distribution
Airbnb transparency drive as hosts worldwide asked to clarify roles
By Kevin May | October 26, 2016
Airbnb is to embark on programme to gather more information about the hosts of its 2.5 million listings around the world. The idea behind the initiative, which begins in November this year, is to e Read More
What a promotion reveals about how Airbnb sees resort rentals
News / Online
What a promotion reveals about how Airbnb sees resort rentals
By Sean O'Neil | October 26, 2016
Next-generation hospitality company Airbnb has been running an old-fashioned hospitality promotion to try to grab a bigger slice of the rental market in traditional resort areas. This October, the Read More
Tujia buys Ctrip's homestay business, becoming more like Airbnb
News / Distribution
Tujia buys Ctrip's homestay business, becoming more like Airbnb
By Martin Cowen | October 21, 2016
China's Airbnb-of-sorts Tujia is shaking up its existing structure and will integrate Ctrip and Qunar's homestay businesses as part of an acquisition and partnership. In a wide-ranging announcement Read More
Looking at the trust shift in online travel
News / Distribution
Looking at the trust shift in online travel
By Linda Fox | October 18, 2016
Forget about big companies, banks and institutions, who and how we trust has changed, particularly in online travel. Developments in the online travel industry, and in digital in general, have pave Read More
Accommodation rental websites see massive jump in traffic, driven by social media
News / Distribution
Accommodation rental websites see massive jump in traffic, driven by social media
By Kevin May | October 11, 2016
Whoever said social media is a low-level contributor to a travel brand's online traffic? Not execs at alternative accommodation websites, it appears. Hitwise examined the online behaviour of three Read More
Wimdu and 9flats combine into one short-term rental company
News / Online
Wimdu and 9flats combine into one short-term rental company
By Sean O'Neil | October 9, 2016
The two largest European-founded companies that have aspired to be Airbnb alternatives — Wimdu and 9flats — are combining. The unified business says it will host nearly 500,000 short-term rental pr Read More
Short-term stays could be the long-term strategy for hotels to counter Airbnb
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Short-term stays could be the long-term strategy for hotels to counter Airbnb
By Kevin May | October 6, 2016
A single datapoint contained in a Phocuswright study has illustrated where the hotel industry can fight back against the apparent rise of Airbnb et al. Obviously, the likes of Airbnb, HomeAway and Read More
MakeMyTrip expands Indian business into Airbnb territory
News / Distribution
MakeMyTrip expands Indian business into Airbnb territory
By Martin Cowen | October 6, 2016
India's MakeMyTrip has launched Rightstay, a standalone brand dedicated to alternative accommodation across the country. The inventory includes villas, apartments, home-stays and guesthouses. The w Read More
Gloveler becomes latest home rental site to face financial difficulties
News / Distribution
Gloveler becomes latest home rental site to face financial difficulties
By Martin Cowen | October 5, 2016
German private accommodation rental site Gloveler is under preliminary insolvency, meaning that it continues to operate as normal while administrators look at options. The site, which went live in Read More
Airbnb enables guests to earn Qantas frequent flyer points
News / Online
Airbnb enables guests to earn Qantas frequent flyer points
By Sean O'Neil | October 3, 2016
Airbnb has forged a marketing deal with Australia's Qantas enabling travelers to earn a point in its frequent flier program for every Australian dollar spent on total guest fees for short-term rentals Read More
Business travellers avoid sharing economy, despite acceptance in corporate policy
News / Distribution
Business travellers avoid sharing economy, despite acceptance in corporate policy
By Kevin May | September 28, 2016
Two-thirds of Brits travelling on business are still reluctant to use a sharing economy-type accommodation or ground transportation provider. The survey of more than 6,000 business travellers by Eg Read More
That noise you can hear is self-management dying on Airbnb and vacation rentals
News / Online
That noise you can hear is self-management dying on Airbnb and vacation rentals
By Viewpoints | September 26, 2016
No matter how you cut it, this was a rough week for those who believe owner-managed vacation rentals are the future of the short-term accommodation space. "How can I say that", you ask? Let’s read Read More
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